Dealing with an aggressive media - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

The_Jazz · 10-21-2009, 12:22 PM

Thankfully TFP has been a balloon-boy-free-zone. I have no intention of changing that (and consider this actively discouraging any discussions of those events), but I have been interested in the media firestorm.

Here's an example of what I mean:

Years ago, a friend and neighbor was murdered, and it made all the cable outlets (this was in the early 90's). For a couple of weeks, I had microphones randomly poked at me and journalists blocking my path. On top of the grief I was feeling, having the media there felt like almost as horrifying as the actual events. I never reacted to any of it (at least publicly; in private I was a complete mess), but as I've grown older, I've become more protective of my personal space, especially now that I have kids. If something similar happened on my block, I doubt I would be very welcoming to the media.

Where do you draw the line with this and is there any sort of solution?

Stare At The Sun · 10-21-2009, 12:26 PM

That guy seems to be overreacting at first, but he was justifiably angry towards the end. The other guy (yellow shirt) was acting really without cause. Jumping on someones back like that and trying to choke them is assault. If yellow shirt was so worried, he should have just tried to separate those two. I hope yellow shirt gets sued.

Willravel · 10-21-2009, 12:27 PM

It's a shame they don't put this kind of energy into reporting things like there being no evidence of WMDs and lies about links to al Qaeda. Instead we get bullshit news like balloon boy or Michael Jackson dying (15 minutes of news would have been just fine).

I only watch a bit of Maddow on youtube, the rest of my news comes from the NYT, Washington Post, Democracy Now, Bill Moyers, and a few blogs.

The solution is to remove corporate funding (especially based on ratings) from the picture. News cannot be entertainment without compromising its integrity.

filtherton · 10-21-2009, 12:32 PM

I'm sure I'd feel like stabbing someone. There would probably be a pretty good youtube video that would come out of it.

I had to watch with the sound down. What was the dude in the yellow shirt trying to prove?

10-21-2009, 12:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	Dealing with an aggressive media Thankfully TFP has been a balloon-boy-free-zone. I have no intention of changing that (and consider this actively discouraging any discussions of those events), but I have been interested in the media firestorm. Here's an example of what I mean: Years ago, a friend and neighbor was murdered, and it made all the cable outlets (this was in the early 90's). For a couple of weeks, I had microphones randomly poked at me and journalists blocking my path. On top of the grief I was feeling, having the media there felt like almost as horrifying as the actual events. I never reacted to any of it (at least publicly; in private I was a complete mess), but as I've grown older, I've become more protective of my personal space, especially now that I have kids. If something similar happened on my block, I doubt I would be very welcoming to the media. Where do you draw the line with this and is there any sort of solution? __________________ "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - B. Franklin "There ought to be limits to freedom." - George W. Bush "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo

10-21-2009, 12:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
Stare At The Sun Eh? Location: Somewhere over the rainbow	That guy seems to be overreacting at first, but he was justifiably angry towards the end. The other guy (yellow shirt) was acting really without cause. Jumping on someones back like that and trying to choke them is assault. If yellow shirt was so worried, he should have just tried to separate those two. I hope yellow shirt gets sued.

10-21-2009, 12:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	It's a shame they don't put this kind of energy into reporting things like there being no evidence of WMDs and lies about links to al Qaeda. Instead we get bullshit news like balloon boy or Michael Jackson dying (15 minutes of news would have been just fine). I only watch a bit of Maddow on youtube, the rest of my news comes from the NYT, Washington Post, Democracy Now, Bill Moyers, and a few blogs. The solution is to remove corporate funding (especially based on ratings) from the picture. News cannot be entertainment without compromising its integrity.

10-21-2009, 12:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
filtherton Junkie Location: In the land of ice and snow.	I'm sure I'd feel like stabbing someone. There would probably be a pretty good youtube video that would come out of it. I had to watch with the sound down. What was the dude in the yellow shirt trying to prove?